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31-Year-Old Released From Hospital After Nearly 4 Months Of Battling Coronavirus

LOMA LINDA (CBSLA) -- For the first time since April, 31-year-old Francisco Garcia is finally leaving the hospital after his long battle with coronavirus.

"I'm just happy to go home and be with my family," Garcia said.

His older sister was the first person to hold him as he walked out of Loma Linda University Medical Center on Sunday.

Francisco Garcia coronavirus release
Francisco Garcia, 31, is greeted with applauses from a health team at Loma Linda University Medical Center following his months-long coronavirus battle (Courtesy: CBS)

Next was his mother, who he hasn't gotten to hug in more than 85 days.

Even at Garcia's young age and no history of health issues, Garcia experienced some of the worst of coronavirus.

"A lot of things were going through my mind like am I going to survive this or what," Garcia said.

The East L.A. resident tested positive for coronavirus in April, just a month after stay-at-home guidelines started in Los Angeles County and around much of the country.

"The only thing I remember is I couldn't even breath as much and my sister saw me and she right away just called an ambulance," Garcia said.

He was rushed to the hospital and placed on a ventilator. Despite being on medication to help treat his coronavirus complications, his family said nothing was working.

Garcia ended up getting sent to Loma Linda University Hospital, and by that point, he had suffered a stroke and was put into a medically-induced coma. He also had bleeding in his brain and within his gastrointestinal tract, as well as blood clots in his legs.

Now after surviving the ordeal, Garcia is pleading with everyone, especially younger people, to take the coronavirus seriously.

"It happened to me and it could happen to someone they know, and believe me, that is something you do not want to go through," Garcia said.

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